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Reflections on 'Texas' party after tragedy

Five members of the "Texas" cast and crew were killed in a wreck Monday following the annual party

Bill Anderson always felt uncomfortable with the annual end-of-the-season party for the “Texas” cast and crew. He said he went out of his way to make it known the party was a private one, and not sanctioned by the Texas Panhandle Heritage Foundation, the governing board of the production.

Anderson, the former executive director of the foundation, went so far as to not allow maps to be printed on any of the copiers in the offices. The party traditionally is held at Coldwater Ranch, approximately 100 miles north of Amarillo in Sherman County.

“I just didn’t feel good about it,” he said. “I worried a lot about that party in the two years it happened under my watch, less so from the alcohol but more so because it was such a long way — country roads, late at night. But at the same time, I worried about them driving from the show each night.”

Monday night, Aug. 12, five members of the “Texas” cast and crew were killed in a wreck on FM 119 and U.S. 287 north of Dumas as they returned from the party. Another member is in critical condition, while the driver of the tractor-trailer that collided with the car carrying the “Texas” cast is in stable condition.

Texas Department of Safety troopers said alcoholic beverage containers were found in the car. A DPS report is scheduled to be filed within a week.

“It’s a tragic event,” said current Texas Panhandle Heritage Foundation executive director Kris Miller, “and all of us are devastated.”

A traditional goodbye

The farewell party has been a tradition for 22 years. Since there are no shows on Mondays, the party is on the Monday of the last week of the summer season of the musical drama, which completed its 48th season at Palo Duro Canyon’s amphitheater Saturday.

The ranch — “a paradise in the middle of nowhere,” Miller said — is owned by Joe Batson, who has been a prominent — but to some a polarizing — figure over “Texas” since virtually its beginning in the 1960s.

“When I was in the show, for the whole cast, it was seen as a sad thing if you had to miss it,” said Cory Schneider, who played lead actor Calvin Armstrong from 2006 to 2009.

The end-of-season party typically begins for cast and crew, Miller said, in the early afternoon and ends around 10:30 p.m. There’s swimming, supervised skeet shooting and horseback riding. Monday evening, musician Andy Chase played tunes while ranch hands prepared brisket. There’s a large decorated cake.

And there’s alcohol.

“It was pretty well known that when you go to that party that everybody will be having just a little bit to drink, some more than others,” Schneider said. “It was just a good time and celebration of the end of the season.

“It was kind of your goodbye, a last moment to bond together as friends. And when you’re in college and get together, for the most part, there’s going to be alcohol around.”

Miller, executive director for the last two years, said the only liquor that is furnished is for the older adults, most of them foundation board members, staff, donors and invited guests who arrived at the ranch on a bus. The furnished alcohol and adults are in a separate area, which Miller described as an enclosed patio setting.

“That’s where the adults mingle,” Miller said. “There is a deliberate effort that nobody (cast and crew) is offered any or has access to it. No alcohol is served to kids. If they have any, they bring it in.”

Which they do. It’s understood those of legal drinking age of 21 and older can bring alcohol, primarily beer. It’s not encouraged or advertised, but always has been allowed, Miller said.

There are no measures to prevent those under 21 from drinking, he said.

“We obviously don’t encourage anyone to drink,” Miller said. “But if you want to drink, you’re going to do it any way. But they are pretty conscious about it and take care of each other.

“No one is out there jumping on them and saying that you’re not old enough to drink. It’s like any other party they would go to. These kids are family, and they watch out for each other. They police themselves.”

Phil Woodall, former board member from 2006 to 2009, three times went to the event, which he called “a typical party thing.”

“They were having a good time, and, yes, there was drinking, no ‘ifs, and or buts’ about it,” he said. “I never saw anybody falling down drunk, but I’m sure some were more inebriated than others.”

Return transportation

Miller, who plays the comedy role of prospector Tucker Yelldell in the show, said designated drivers were encouraged among cast and crew as most car-pooled the 200-mile round trip, and that Batson provided some money to help pay for gas to those who offered to drive for that purpose.

Schneider, though, recalls a bus providing transportation for cast and crew when he was in the show.

“It was sort of said when I was there that you need to be of age to consume, but I didn’t pay any attention (to) how well it was enforced,” he said. “There was definitely a lot of alcohol consumption on that day.

“You’re there from around noon to past sundown. You drink and hang out. But we had a bus, so it was no real concern. To think now you would have people drive back all the way from Coldwater seems a little absurd to me.”

Polarizing figure

Because of the five-fatality accident, the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission is investigating the party. Its host, Batson, 68, has impacted the “Texas” production for decades.

He was one of the founders of the Texas Panhandle Heritage Foundation. From his family’s oil, gas and ranching interests, he has been a longtime donor whose financial contributions are credited with keeping “Texas” running during some lean years.

An influential Democrat in the state, Batson was a close friend with former first lady the late Lady Bird Johnson and her daughters, Lynda and Lucy. They have been his guests in the past to the musical.

Batson’s ideas have brought technological improvements, like the water show in 2009. Noted for his generosity, he has brought fast food to a hungry cast during rehearsals, paid from out of his own pocket.

“Joe is very generous, very kind-hearted,” Miller said. “He is a visionary with incredible ideas — some (are) feasible and some aren’t. But he’s been an angel for this show since the beginning and that’s reflected in his personality.

“He’s a man of substantial financial means and sometimes that draws people who don’t necessarily like him for that. He has people who are big fans of his, and some that aren’t. He has enemies, but he has friends, too.”

Attempts to reach Batson last week were unsuccessful. Batson, who is listed as a “general consultant” in the 2013 “Texas” program, has also been described by detractors as vindictive, autocratic and controlling, and that his largesse comes with a cost. There has been a revolving door of executive directors over the last 15 years.

“Has Joe done some good? Certainly,” Anderson said. “But that good came with a hefty price tag. Joe did a lot of good, but there were always strings attached.”

He declined to elaborate.

Anderson was narrowly dismissed, 10 votes to 7, as executive director in his third year in 2009. Five board members — chairman John Skaggs, Sally Brantley, Wes Reeves, Dale Williams and Woodall — resigned over the board’s action they believed was unfair and came at Batson’s bidding even though he was no longer officially on the board. Wales Madden Jr., a non-voting honorary life member of the board, did not resign, but submitted a letter expressing his agreement with the resigning members.

At the time, Batson said he had concerns about Anderson’s salary, which was $125,000 per year.

Reeves said the group felt blind-sided by the ouster, believing there was at the time a movement behind the scenes.

“We felt as if there might be a board within a board at the time,” he said. “I believe it has changed since then, but it seemed then that another group was calling the shots. It felt a little underhanded. I didn’t feel like I was necessary and thought my time could be better spent doing something else.”

Skaggs said he knew the source of the removal.

“It was all Joe Batson. He pulls the strings and has great influence over the organization,” Skaggs said. “Bill Anderson had an excellent performance review and he was fired because he had guts enough to stand up to him. Batson is very headstrong, and if you want to go against him in some way, I guarantee you he can cause you a lot of trouble.”

Batson, following Anderson’s ouster, said, “The idea that I was involved is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

‘Felt no pressure’

In 2002, Batson pleaded guilty to charges of endangering a child while on trial in Dallas for child sexual assault charges. He received deferred adjudication probation.

In 2007, he pulled a $1 million donation made three years earlier to “Texas” after he cited financial mismanagement. Then-foundation executive director Joe Groves claimed at the time a personal disagreement between the two was the reason. Batson said then he would consider giving again when there was a “change in administration.”

Current board members have declined to comment, referring all inquiries to Miller. He said there has been no interference with Batson during his tenure.

“I can’t answer for the past,” he said, “but I’ve never felt any pressure or any interference. Early on, I sought him out for suggestions since we both had a background in marketing. But I bet in the last year, year-and-a-half, we’ve had four conversations. And as far as telling me how to operate or influence me, it’s never happened.”

Anderson, who lives near Austin, said “something needs to be done.” Asked to expand, he believes more oversight from the board would be helpful, and change what he said were “some of the prevailing cultures” there.

“There’s some very good people on that board,” he said, “and they could be used to impress upon the cast members proper decision-making, proper activities, things like that.”

Miller said the charge of the current board of directors is to set policy and conduct oversight.

“I have a tremendous board,” he said. “They lead by example. I honestly don’t know what Bill is implying. That surprises me he would say that. I know he had a personality conflict with the board, and right or wrong, that’s why he was terminated.”

Miller said that until last week, the worst incident he knew after the party was “a couple of speeding tickets a few years ago.” He called Monday’s party “very very tame.” To cast blame or to infer of an exaggerated atmosphere of end-of-the-season frivolity that led to a tragic wreck before midnight Monday, he said, is unfair and inaccurate.

“To search for some kind of scandal in this or that Joe Batson allowed this or that or is a bad influence, all of that just blows my mind,” he said. “It’s just not there, not there at all. What we have is a terrible tragedy and we’re all devastated by it.”